Public Health Commons^™

Early Childhood Care And Education For All In 2015: Is This A Mirage In Nigeria?, Esther A. Oduolowu

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This paper examines the possibility of the provision of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for all children from birth to age five in Nigeria by 2015. In the paper are the history of preschool education in Nigeria) situation of ECCE worldwide in the 1980s) and the, global trends in basic education in the 1990s. The paper also examines the limitations of the attempt and offers probable solutions.

Forced Migration And The Survival Needs Of The Nigerian Child, Ngozi Diwunma Obidike

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This article identifies the survival needs of the forced migrant Nigerian child as well as the extent to which the identified needs are satisfied. The population consisted of 600 forced migrant children and 10 emergency workers who were chosen based on their experiences being forced migrants. A questionnaire was used for the study. The result showed) among other things, that although the need for food, clean water, education, peace, and shelter were identified as the five most essential needs, other needs were also identified as necessary for the children's survival. Based on the results, recommendations were made.

Medical-Legal Partnerships: Addressing The Unmet Legal Needs Of Health Center Patients, Peter Shin, Fraser Rothenberg Byrne, Emily Jones, Joel B. Teitelbaum, Lee Repasch, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs), now available at over 180 hospitals and health centers across 38 states, are an important option for addressing the legal needs affecting low-income and vulnerable patients, and thereby improving their overall health. We estimate that each year, anywhere between 50 and 85 percent of health centers users - or between ten and 17 million people - experience unmet legal needs, many of which negatively impact their health. In a medical-legal partnership, health care staff at hospitals, clinics, and other sites are trained to screen for health-related legal issues, refer the patient to an affiliated lawyer or legal …

Breaking The Cycle Of Domestic Violence, Rebecca Bolden

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Domestic violence is a serious problem that affects women all over the globe. It has been found that children who witness domestic violence in their homes are more likely to be involved in a violent relationship later on in life, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of violence. This project aims to look at services that exist for women who suffer from domestic violence, in order to suggest future prevention strategies to end the cycle of violence. My methodology was interviewing four different organizations that exist in Salvador that support women who have suffered domestic violence as well as work to prevent …

Trapped In The Street: Defining The Health Care Use Of The Homeless Adult In Salvador, Bahia, Nicole Lunardi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Problem Statement

Homelessness is a universal problem. This population represents some of society’s most marginalized members who, paradoxically, need society’s help the most. In this study, data was collected in order to discern in which circumstances and how homeless people utilize medical care in order to better understand the concepts of self efficacy and self agency among this population.

Question and Hypothesis

In what circumstances and by what means does the adult homeless population seek medical attention?

Since the homeless population is marginalized by society, I believe that this population lacks the self efficacy and agency that is required to …

Anticipated Effects Of The U.S. Mexico City Policy On The Attainability Of The Millennium Development Goals And Future Development Efforts In Sub-Saharan Africa, Katherine Clare Alexander

Anthós

In the low-income countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the performance of pyramidal reproductive health and family planning services with public outreach initiatives has not met the expectations or the needs of the communities they serve. Insufficient case management, limited management capacity and referral and communication failures are challenges faced on the delivery level, while on the policy level these health clinics face insufficient coordination among organizations and weak links between programs (Schneider, 2006). The Mexico City Policy, first introduced by President Reagan in 1984, only exacerbated these challenges for organizations that offer comprehensive contraception and family planning programs by denying any …

Consumer Consent Options For Electronic Health Information Exchange: Policy Considerations And Analysis, Melissa M. Goldstein, Alison L. Rein

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

The issue of whether, to what extent, and how individuals should have the ability to exercise control over their health information represents one of the foremost policy challenges related to the electronic exchange of health information. The current landscape of possible consent models is varied, and the factors involved in choosing among them are complex. States and other entities engaged in facilitating the exchange of electronic health information are struggling with a host of challenges, chief among them the establishment of policies and procedures for patient participation in their exchange efforts. While some have adopted policies enabling patients to exercise …

Changing Po2licy: The Elements For Improving Childhood Asthma Outcomes, Anne Rossier Markus, Meagan Lyon, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

Childhood asthma is a serious and chronic health issue that affects one in seven U.S. children and their families, compromising their health and quality of life and placing a heavy financial burden on families as well as an enormous strain on the health care system. Treating, managing, and ultimately preventing and reducing the burden of asthma represents a critical test of the ability of the U.S. health system – health insurers, clinical care providers, and public health agencies – to work together. Our investigation found that, as a country, we already know enough to act and improve life for the …

Conceptions Regarding Children’S Health: An Examination Of Ethnotheories In A Sending And Receiving Community, Maria Rosario De Guzman, Jennifer Deleon, Gloria Gonzalez-Kruger, Rodrigo Cantarero

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Ethnotheories are beliefs that adults hold about children and the factors that impact upon their development. Scholars suggest that “ethnotheories” serve as cultural models that underlie motivations for parenting practices and the way adults organize children’s early experiences. This study examines Mexican adults’ ethnotheories about children’s health in two communities that are linked by transnational migrants and serve as sending and receiving communities for workers. Forty-four Mexican adults in six focus groups discussed well-being issues affecting children in their communities. Qualitative analyses using grounded theory revealed a complex conception of children’s health issues that included physical, psychological, and behavioral components …

The President's Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (Pepfar): A Social Work Ethical Analysis And Recommendations, Robert J. Barney, Stephan L. Buckingham, Judith M. Friedrich, Lisa M. Johnson, Michael A. Robinson, Bibhuti K. Sar

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the most recent international social program instituted by the U.S. Government to combat HIV/AIDS. Since its inception in 2003, this foreign policy initiative has dedicated $63 billion for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in foreign countries. Despite PEPFAR's many accomplishments, it continues to promote controversial prevention strategies. This paper analyzes these prevention strategies, utilizing social work values as described in the NASW Code of Ethics. Policy, practice, and research implications are discussed.

The Economic Stimulus: Gauging The Early Effects Of Arra Funding On Health Centers And Medically Underserved Populations And Communities, Peter Shin, Brian K. Bruen, Emily Jones, Leighton C. Ku, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative

During times of economic crisis, community health centers and other health care safety net providers become even more vital to the communities they serve. The current downturn, with its high levels of unemployment and enormous impact on family incomes, carries major implications for health insurance coverage. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law on February 17, 2009, provided slightly more than two billion dollars to community health centers for capital improvements, expansion (or retention) of personnel and services, and adoption of health information technology. All of these uses not only support health centers' mission to serve populations …

Traveling Exhibit: The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases From A State Hospital Attic, Laura J. Hall

Posters and Presentations

The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic was a traveling exhibit that explored the stories of patients from the Willard Psychiatric Center in New York, whose personal belongings were discovered after the institution closed in 1995. The exhibit highlighted the intersection of mental health, poverty, and systemic failures in care. Through a series of public events including panel discussions on homelessness, health equity, and mental health policy, the exhibit aimed to raise awareness and promote dialogue on mental health issues. Curated locally by Laura J. Hall and funded by the New Mexico Humanities Council, it was …

Risky Business: Effectiveness Of State Market-Based Health Programs, Christopher Stream, Nathan Myers

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Since the 1990s, state governments have been leaders of health care reform. Today, approximately 47 million people are without health insurance. As health care costs and uninsurance levels continue to rise, states are pursuing a variety of government- and market-based strategies to address this growing social problem. Health care research has indicated that state-based programs have proven to be successful in extending access to coverage. However, the question remains as to whether the market-based programs have had a positive impact on state health care. Advocates for market-based state health programs argue that the reforms benefit the greater good because they …

Climate Change And Sea Level Rise Initiative (Ccslri), Larry P. Atkinson

CCSLRI Brochures

Brochure of the Old Dominion University Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative (CCSLRI)

Increasing Institutional Delivery And Access To Emergency Obstetric Care Services In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a formative in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP), India to determine the impact of the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) scheme on the current status of institutional delivery in the region, to understand the facilitating factors and barriers in delivering in a health facility, and to identify programmatic and behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives that could accelerate the adoption of institutional delivery. JSY was launched as an intervention to address the barriers to institutional delivery, through the introduction of community-based women volunteers. The study shows that with the introduction of the JSY the rate of institutional delivery jumped …

Referral Mechanism Improves Uptake Of Art Services For Hiv+ Fp Clients, Population Council

Reproductive Health

An operations research intervention by the Population Council in Kenya aimed to design a referral framework for linking HIV‐positive family planning (FP) clients to treatment and care in selected health facilities. The project also assessed the acceptability and effectiveness in increasing the number of eligible HIV‐positive FP clients receiving HIV care and treatment services. This summary details the effort to improve the linkage between FP services and comprehensive care centers that led to a dramatic increase in the proportions of HIV-positive clients in FP clinics who go on to receive HIV/AIDS treatment and care services at the same facility. Recommendations …

Youth Participation In Civil Society And Political Life In India, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This policy brief documents the participation of youth in India in civil society, the extent to which they uphold secular attitudes, and their perceptions about and participation in political processes. Findings from six states call for actions to promote youth participation, particularly the participation of young women, in civil society and political life. Programs are needed at the school, college, and community levels—through national service programs, sports, and other nonformal mechanisms—that encourage civic participation, incorporate value-building components, and reinforce secular attitudes and values that espouse responsible citizenship. Findings that many youth are disillusioned with the commitment of political parties to …

Education And Transition To Work Among Youth In Andhra Pradesh, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Looking at the current educational and employment situation of youth in Andhra Pradesh, this Population Council policy brief argues that significant investments in terms of appropriate policies and programs are required to enable the state to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of universal primary education and elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary education, harness its demographic dividend, and enable its youth to participate in and benefit from global development. Notwithstanding the state’s existing policy commitments, findings indicate that several challenges remain. The brief recommends a number of policies and programs to overcome these challenges.

Meserete Hiwot ("Base Of Life"): Supporting Married Adolescents With Hiv Prevention And Reproductive Health In Rural Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar, Aragaw Lamesgin, Eunice N. Muthengi

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

To better understand the lives of adolescents in rural Ethiopia, researchers conducted a survey of adolescents in Amhara Region. The study found that many girls experienced early, unwanted arranged marriages, resulting in early unwanted sexual initiation and pregnancy, as well as social isolation in new marital homes. Based on the findings of this study, the Population Council and the Ethiopian Ministry of Youth and Sports created a program to support girls who are married early, with a view to increasing their social networks, improving their ability to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS, and supporting their reproductive health. This program brief reports …

Données Démographiques Pour Développement Ii—De La Recherche À L'Intervention: Améliorer L'Accès Et L'Utilsation Des Données Par Les Médias, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This policy brief describes the Population Council’s project to improve access and use of demographic, health, and other public sector data that are essential evidence for development policy planning and evaluation. In many countries, access to data is limited and, when data are available, the format is rarely user-friendly for nonprofessionals, limiting their potential applications. In recent years, the Population Council has examined access to and sharing of data through case studies in Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, and Uganda. In phase II of the project, the Council will strive to promote domestic demand for data by working with key intermediaries—the media.

Youth Participation In Civil Society And Political Life In Andhra Pradesh, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This policy brief documents the participation of youth in Andhra Pradesh, India in civil society, the extent to which they uphold secular attitudes, and their perceptions about and participation in political processes. Data drawn from the Youth in India: Situation and Needs study call for actions to promote youth participation, particularly the participation of young women, in civil society and political life. Special attention must be paid to developing community-level programs for young women, large proportions of whom had not participated in civil society. Findings that many youth are disillusioned with the commitment of political parties to work for change …

Transition To Work Roles Among Youth In India, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Looking at the current employment situation of youth in six states in India, this Population Council policy brief argues that significant investment in terms of appropriate policies and programs is required to improve the employability of youth in the country and thereby enable them to find full and productive employment. Concerted efforts to improve the employability of youth and to enhance the reach of existing programs aimed at job creation among youth are most urgently required in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan. At the same time, efforts to meet the large unmet need for vocational skills training are needed …

Guidelines For Pilot Study On Introducing Pay-For-Performance (P4p) Approach To Increase Utilization Of Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh, Directorate General Of Health Services (Dghs), Population Council, Unicef

Reproductive Health

The Population Council launched a pilot study to test two Pay-for-Performance (P4P) strategies to improve MNCH services in Bangladesh. This document presents guidelines for offering incentives to providers, distributing coupons, and forming P4P and/or Coupon Committees and Quality Assurance Groups. The guidelines were developed over the course of five policy-level and consensus-building workshops with national and local-level program managers and service providers, organized under the leadership of the DGHS, in consideration of the local context and sustainability in case of nationwide replication in the country. These guidelines will come into effect upon receiving approval from the DGHS, Ministry of Health …

Role Of The Corporate Sector In Promoting Family Health In Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Confederation of Indian Industry, a partner in the Population Council–led Consortium, took the lead to explore a) the role of the corporate sector in family health in Uttar Pradesh, India; b) the possibility of partnering with this sector to design, leverage, and implement a behavior change communication (BCC) strategy; and c) the support and assistance the sector would require to ensure better planning and implementation of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Based on the findings, this policy brief identified the following, with implications for BCC strategy: corporate partnerships have the potential to scale up initiatives; companies can leverage …

Increasing Postpartum Contraception In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a formative study in rural Uttar Pradesh, India to assess the level of adoption of postpartum contraception for spacing among low parity women, identify the facilitating factors and barriers to the adoption of this target behavior, and identify programmatic and behavior change communications (BCC) initiatives that could accelerate the adoption of postpartum contraception for spacing and improve the service delivery system, if required, to facilitate the process. Barriers included low awareness of consequences of closely spaced births, misconceptions about contraceptive methods, lack of counseling by health workers, reluctance to include husbands, and programmatic emphasis on limiting …

Une Stratégie Pour La Réduction De La Mortalité Maternelle Et Néonatale, Population Council

Reproductive Health

As part of the strategies to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, the introduction of a minimum integrated package of maternal and newborn care including Active Management of the Third Stage of Labor (AMTSL) and Essential Newborn Care (ENC) are simple and inexpensive approaches in poor countries. This brief reports on a study conducted by the Senegal Ministry of Health and Prevention, with support from IntraHealth and the Population Council, whose objectives included: 1) evaluating the functional capacity of the targeted health structures to offer the AMTSL and ENC, 2) evaluating the knowledge and skills of the providers, and 3) identifying …

Private Sector's Role In Health Service Provision In Senegal, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In Senegal, private providers are a major source of health services, including contraceptive services, and private sector partnerships are a key component of the Ministry of Health strategy toward achieving national health objectives. This brief reports on SMNI/PF/PALU—a five-year USAID-bilateral project aiming to foster high-quality service delivery, and build strong links between all levels of the health system and communities, including between private and public health sectors. In Senegal, private businesses have hosted innovative advocacy activities, committed to health supplies and information management, and demonstrated a general interest in supporting a collaborative movement toward national health objectives. With private sector’s …

Rôle Du Secteur Privé Dans L'Offre De Services De Santé Au Sénégal, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In Senegal, private providers are a major source of health services, including contraceptive services, and private sector partnerships are a key component of the Ministry of Health strategy toward achieving national health objectives. This brief reports on SMNI/PF/PALU—a five-year USAID-bilateral project aiming to foster high-quality service delivery, and build strong links between all levels of the health system and communities, including between private and public health sectors. In Senegal, private businesses have hosted innovative advocacy activities, committed to health supplies and information management, and demonstrated a general interest in supporting a collaborative movement toward national health objectives. With private sector’s …

Proceedings And Presentations From The Free State Child Abuse Indaba, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Free State Department of Health and its partners held a “first-of-its kind” Child Sexual Assault Indaba (conference) in South Africa to streamline relationships between services for effective prevention and management of child abuse. This report details the presentations delivered at the conference, which was a resounding success, with participation from a wide range of stakeholders. The recurring theme of all the presentations was the urgent need to unite and fight against child sexual assault. The most appropriate strategy was unanimous—information—and clarity in terms of the role of each stakeholder. The Free State Department of Health will coordinate the development …

Mainstreaming Emergency Contraception Pills In Kenya, Jill Keesbury, Monica Wanjiru, Katherine Maina

Reproductive Health

To improve access to emergency contraception (ECP) and ensure that adequate information is provided to all users, the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the Population Council, and Population Services International-Kenya undertook a three-year effort to mainstream ECP in Kenya. This brief presents the results of this initiative and discusses strategies for further strengthening ECP provision. Kenya has emerged as a leader in ECP programming in the region and has demonstrated that it is possible to strengthen ECP services in both the public and private sectors while at the same time increasing public awareness, knowledge, and use of the …